View report page

I-5

The rate thus on the surface appears to be one of the highest
recorded since 1902, it being surpassed only in that year, in 1904
and in 1906. The real increase, however, is not so great, for
although there has been an increase in the actual number of deaths
in 1911 the enumerated population is less than the estimated one of
1910, therefore the death rate calculated upon it must of necessity
be higher. If the census figures be disregarded, and the population
were assumed to have increased in the same proportion as it did in
1901-1911, the death-rate for Camberwell would be 13.4, i.e. 0.9
more than last year.
Coming down to the various registration sub-districts of the
Borough there is an increased number of deaths to be put down to
each of them with the exception of St. George's, where there is one
less than last year. But allowance must again be made for the
enumerated population being so much lower than the estimated
for I find that in 1909 there were the same number of deaths recorded
in North Camberwell as in 1911 but the death-rate in the
former year is calculated at 14·3 and in the latter 15·1.
It has been well said that owing to the heat and drought of
1911, the Sanitary Authorities of England were on their trial in
that year. During the preceding four or five years there had been
a succession of wet and cool summers which had its results in
a low infantile mortality, the latter of which had declined in
L ondon form 144 per thousand births in 1904 to 103 per thousand
in 1910. Indeed, there were many who apparently looked for this
to be a permanent reduction, due in great measure to the special
methods adopted of late years, such as milk depots, consultations